The Canes of Drath

Act II: Session 1

29

MAY/12

The group resumed their adventure in Tymrill. They arrived in the middle of summer, but it began snowing and the temperature was dropping dramatically. No citizens of Tymrill were in the inn or on the streets and no lights or smoke came from houses. While outside of the inn, Alarand heard war drums and horns coming from the North. The adventurers wished to alert the town to the advancing war party, but unable to rouse town guards or alert the town before being trapped they went over the wall and off to the east.
Once out of Tyrmill the companions found a cave to seek respite from the blistering cold. As Morbius and Alarand entered the cave, to clear it out and make the camp, Cyprus and Jin collected firewood. When searching the cave Morbius and Alarand encountered enlarged bear, which required the added strength of Cyprus and Jin to defeat. Once dead black growths seeped from the wounds of the bears which Cyprus took a sample of. The beasts were skinned and their hides were tanned to make coverings to fend off the cold. During the watches Cyprus was the only one to see anything unusual. He noticed three horsemen on northmen horses.
In the morning the adventurers are woken by a large black mass on the horizon and war horns in the distance. Fearing the army they quickly leave the cave and travel to Tender in the deepening snow and frostbitten winds. Once at Tender Rey scouts the city to see if anyone is there. He relays to Alarnad that all have been killed. Cyprus climbs the wall and opens the gate for everyone to enter. Once inside Cyprus inspects the wounds of the dead and he finds multiple weapon types and the black growth in their wounds.
We go into a house and hear a little girl crying, so we go downstairs to find her hiding in a crate. After a standoff we get the girl to talk to us and she reveals that King Hardell has gone mad and that the soldiers were coming. She lets us know that Jaris the farmer bought pig that had the black growth. The pig harmed people while walking and two legs. Jaris killed the pig and butchered it. The people then fed on the pig. She also said that once it started getting colder people were frightened.
Avia became a point of argument among the group. We felt that we could not leave her alone to die, but we don’t know how we could travel to the tomb with her. Also we do not have the time to retrieve the cane if we go to the capital of Ravensfjord and leave Avia with her uncle Toby. In addition we don’t know if Uncle Toby will be in the capital because the king has recruited people to his army and Toby may have been recruited or killed.
Jin prayed to Desna and received a message that forced a decision upon the group. Desna’s reply to the prayer was, “There are unseen forces at work, Jin. The world as you know it is on the brink of destruction. Ravensfjord sends their troops south. There will be war. That is certain. I myself am besieged. My powers are limited at the mome—They are here!—Jin, make haste!”. The group after hearing the abbreviated message decide to send Morbius to warn Sid and the rest were going to head off with Avia and decide later whether to go the tomb or Raverend. The adventurers spent the night in Tender and gathered supplies for the trek.